Getting into the groove!

Well we made it through our first full week after our big trip...we just stuck to home and tried to get back in the groove of school! That always takes a little adjusting for everyone, but we all enjoy the structure that school provides and all the learning opportunities as well. I like this time of the school year the best because Steve gets to do some of the teaching too! He starts the morning out with pledges, Scripture memorization, a missionary story, letters from supported missionaries, prayer, and current events. I continue after that with language, math, reading, spelling, handwriting, and whatever else we fit it. Then Steve returns before lunch to do history and science. Our afternoons are filled with piano practice, personal reading time, outside play, chores, and just having fun!! Our days can get rather full, but we enjoy the time spent together as a family.

Last week we had a surprise as Alyssum lost her first tooth...she is not even 5 years old yet! At the breakfast table Friday morning she told me her tooth her a little, then after breakfast she came to show me that her tooth was sticking out. I looked at her tooth and saw that it was loose and a new tooth had already poked through the gums behind it. She proceeded to wiggle that little tooth all morning until Steve came in before lunch and she told him it was ready to come out. One little tug and out it came!! Alyssum is now the proud owner of a window in her mouth which her tongue is always finding its way to! I just can't believe she can already be losing her teeth...they just grow up way too fast!!!

As we begin a new week our friends Joe and Jennifer Germain and their 7 children have joined us again here at our home...well most of them anyway. Jennifer flew in from Juneau with six of their kids and Joe and Brian took the ferry to Haines to get the motorhome and continue their journey back to Homer. Bad weather had kept them in Juneau much longer than they had expected and they needed to get home to begin the packing and getting things together before they move to Davao, Philippines in May. We got word from Joe this morning that 18inches of snow has now kept him in Haines, so he will be hanging out there until the pass clears. Our kids were all so excited to see their friends again and the chatter continued all day as they caught up with each other!